my first major league baseball game

Ben believes that baseball is about as close to perfection as exists on this earth. This is just one of the many areas of diversity in our lives given that, until recently, I did not know more than a few rules of the game and certainly had no clue about farm system or that games are played in series. Ben is a veritable baseball encyclopedia and feeds me a daily baseball fact or (often an update on the Phillies). Slowly, I am learning (though I suspect my knowledge will always be elementary).

On Saturday Ben took me to my first Major League Baseball (aka MLB) game to see the Oakland Athletics play the Toronto Blue Jays. There was something all-American about a baseball game, and we lived up the experience. In-N-Out burgers on our way to the game, hot dogs and popcorn at the ballpark. A beautifully groomed field full of bright green turf. Fans dressed in yellow and green, and one special fan dressed in a yellow and green cape playing the banjo. Vendors yelling their little rhymes to entice one to buy hot dogs and iced tea and ice cream and cotton candy.

Then there was that moment (not long after asking if birds ever poop on the players), in which a bird pooped on my head. I laughed so hard I cried as Ben cleaned my hair out using the tissues in my purse. Ben has promised me that he has never seen this happen and that I should be safe in the future. I mostly believe him.

And then there was the baseball. It is infinitely more interesting game when the intricacies are understood, even at an elementary level. The details I will stumble over, so for those you should just check out Ben’s blog, The Benjamin. What I will say is that my first game had the fun of a great double play, 3 extra innings, a coach getting ejected, lots of foul balls into the stands, and the one run of the game was glorious. I think I am learning to like baseball, but this is also heavily influenced by the goofy grin of the guy who was sitting next to me all day.